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West Allis officials worry current National Ave. delays could carry over into 2019 National Ave. project

With a portion of National Avenue still closed for construction more than a month after the Nov. 2 target date for reopening, West Allis officials are worried about what will happen if the same contractor gets the contract for the section of National Avenue to be done next year.

West Allis officials worry current National Ave. delays could carry over into 2019 National Ave. project

What used to be the sidewalk in front of the Mason Lodge West Allis at 75th and National had been an empty pit from Oct. 25 until just a few days ago. Crews have now filled it with a compacted earth/gravel mix. There are still worries about how the walk can be shoveled after it snows and whether the frozen uneven dirt will be treacherous during the winter.(Photo: Mason Bones/Submitted)

With a portion of National Avenue still closed for construction more than a month after the Nov. 2 target date for reopening, West Allis officials are worried about what will happen if the same contractor gets the contract for the section of National Avenue to be done next year.

"Absolutely, we'd be very uneasy," said City Engineer Peter Daniels.

In January or February, the state Department of Transportation will let bids for National Avenue reconstruction between 92nd and 95th streets. National Avenue is a state road, so the state maintains it. The work from 92nd to 95th is projected to be done from May to Aug. 16, Daniels said.

A large portion of the uneasiness if Racine-based Cornerstone Pavers, gets the contract is that there seems to be no reason for it to be so far behind on the current National Avenue project between 70th and 76th streets, officials said.

The project just kept falling farther and farther behind all year, said Michael Pyritz, DOT spokesman.

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The pavement is in outside the West Allis Public Library (at right) but the big machinery still courses up and down National Avenue that will have to be finished next year.(Photo: Jane Ford-Stewart/Now News Group)

Delays common

It's common for a project to fall behind, but he said, "There seems to be no substantial reason to be so far behind."While the National Avenue work was to be done by Nov. 2, the street is not slated to open until closer to Christmas. And it still won't be finished. The rest of the work will have to be done next year. However, the road will not have to be closed for the remaining work as it was all this year, Daniels said.

When Chris Cape, Cornerstone construction manager, was asked for the reasons for the delays, he said he was bound by contract with the DOT not communicate independently with the press. That is the normal procedure to make sure clear and accurate information gets to the public, he said.

It is still unclear if Cornerstone will be allowed to bid on the contract for the 92nd to 95th street reconstruction, Pyritz said. The project team will review reasons for the current delay, along with the normal check that it will perform for all bidders to verify that they have the proper financial backing, equipment and manpower, he said.

The irony

Ironically, Cornerstone got the contract as the second lowest bidder this year because the low bidder could not get bonding due to having too many other jobs, Daniels said.

This contract was a big one for Cornerstone, which normally has done road projects for West Allis in the neighborhood of $1 million to $2 million, he said. The National Avenue project was $5 million, he said. And Cornerstone has another big project in Kenosha that is also behind, Daniels said.

In addition, Channel 4 is reporting that work is way behind on 13th Street in Oak Creek, another Cornerstone project.

Next year's National Avenue project will be only half as big, he said. So, it might be appealing to more companies to bid on it and would be more manageable if Cornerstone wins the contract, he said.

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